AID IN PACIFIC.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 88, 24 January 1942, Page 5

AID IN PACIFIC.

AMERICAN REINFORCEMENTS. MOUNTING FLOW OF BOMBERS. WASHINGTON, Jan. 23. A high official said that the stream of reinforcements to the south-west Pacific had l already begun. Within the United States 600,000 troops have been moved to new positions in less than seven weeks.

The advantages Japan gained on December 7 had been largely offset by the mounting flow of long-range bombers. It looked as if the United States had lost control of the seas for the time being. To meet this, the Army had thrown in its big bombers to plug the defence leak in the west. The production of aircraft was rising steadily, and the nation had sufficient bombers and fighters to meet the emergency. The ‘New York Times” in an editorial says: “The deadly threat to Australia’s safety is also a threat to America. Australians have earned the fullest measure of help it is possible for us to give them.” The Australian Minister (Mr R. G. Casey) in a broadcast address at the opening of Freedom Housfc in New York said the utmost effort was needed at once to halt the Japanese. “They can be stopped if we all put our minds to it,” lie added. “None of us, neither you nor we, can afford to let the Japanese get any further. AYe must fight every inch everywhere. It is going to be 10 times harder to get it back than to stop it being lost.” Mr Casey said it might be argued that war against the Axis could not finally bo won in the Pacific. However, it might well he lost in the Pacific.

“If wo lot- the Japanese got away with things in the Far East they may got into the Indian Ocean, and then it may he next to impossible to beat the Axis as they should ho beaten. Don’t let ns take this Japanese business easily. It is not going to be easy. ’